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[astaraelthesnek]

had a screaming match with my mother so chilling on the roof

[astaraelthesnek]

Kabaneri theories pt 2

Part 1 here; our analysis of ep 1.

Sorry, I know it's been a while but life has been kicking my ass recently. Anyway, here is our analysis of episode 2!

Firstly, we were very interested in the apparent hivemind of the Kabane, as they all seem to be able to communicate in some capacity and follow each other easily. One option is that there is some controlling force, similar to a Queen in an ants nest, but with what happens later in the series I am pretty sure that isn't what's happening. Our main theory so far is that Kabane can release pheromones (different scents) like bees. This would mean that not only would Kabane be able to create trails for others to follow, they could use different pheromones to show meaning, like 'food here'. This could also explain why Kabane will attack Kabaneri instead of humans, as they may release some pheromones that cause them to be targetted.

We also looked at the heart cage, as well as the blue sparks caused by shooting it. In the series, it says the heart cages are some type of stronger iron. This theoretically could be possible, though not quite as it works in the anime. As blood contains small quantities of iron, it technically could be used to create the cage, but there are such small quantities that it would be near impossible. However, many Kabane will be consuming blood from the people they attack, which could help the cage develop. The other thing is that the Kabane parasite may use the host body to produce the iron. As we see in the show, when Kaban are injured they don't really bleed that much. Add that to the colour of the skin, and you have the idea that the parasite gets rid of or shuts down a lot of the blood vessels, which means the host body would be producing iron with nowhere for it to go, so it forms the heart cage.

We couldn't think of how the cage could be stronger than normal iron, as alloys are weaker than pure metals. The only option is that maybe having a slightly more malleable alloy might make the cage bend instead of break, which could make it more protective in some circumstances. The blue sparks that appear when Kabane are killed is possibly a chemical reaction between potassium, water and oxygen. Yes, we know potassium burns purple but it's an option. This means that there could be a thin layer of potassium inside the heart cage, but we don't know where it could come from.

Another thing that is weird about Kabane is that they apparently don't feel pain. This has quite a simple answer; if the Kabane are caused by a brain parasite, the parasite could easily sever the connection between the brain and the nerves around the body.

Now onto the Kabaneri. First, is the paradite hibernating?

As we said in the last post, we think that the Kabane were caused by a parasite, and Kabaneri are made when something goes wrong with the parasites infection. I said last time that the parasite could be hibernating, but now we don't think so. If it was, it would not be able to have such an immediate effect on Mumei when she takes her ribbon off, so the parasite must be awake, even if it's not in the brain. Removing the ribbon could cause some slight change in the blood, causing the parasite to attempt to reach the brain again, having the side effect of the 'power boost' Mumei gets.

This could also explain Mumei's sleeping after fights. As the parasite becomes more active, her immune system would be under a lot more strain to control the parasite, and adding that to the extreme physical exertion, it could definitely drain any stores of energy that she has, especially as she is still very young.

Anyway, that's the new theories that we have come up with. Most of these aren't plausible at all, but are at leadt theoretically possible, and either way it's quite fun. I don't know when I will be able to update this, but I hope it was at leadt fun to read.

[astaraelthesnek]

Kabaneri theories by two biology nerds

Ok, I am rewatching Koutetsujou no Kabaneri and my friend is watching it for the first time with me, and we are both biology nerds, so we are trying to work out how exactly the kabane, and therefor kabaneri, work. I will be posting our thoughts and theories one episode at a time, so please keep reading these. And if you haven't watched this anime, it's great, so watch it as the fandom is too small.

Right, so in episode one we basically were just trying to work out if it is a virus/bacteria, or a parasite. We don't think it would be a virus or bacteria, as those tend to kill the hosts pretty quickly, and some of the kabane have been alive for decades. They also often make the host physically weaker, and that is clearly not the case.

So we are onto parasites. Firstly, we needed to determine if it was a parasite or parasitoid (parasitoids kill the host and parasites don't). Despite what you may think, we actually think that it would be some type of parasite, as although kabane are basically zombies, parasitoids don't stay in their hosts, and don't control them. As far as parasites go, there are many instances of parasites, animal and fungal, latching onto the hosts brain and controlling them, like the cordyceps fungus, or the tarantula hawk wasp.

So, we've determined that it's a parasite, now what? Well, how is it transmitted. Obviously, through bites, but how does it do that. We decided that depending on if it is animal or fungus based, it probably lays eggs/spores in the saliva glands in the hosts mouth, which then get into the victims bloodstream when bitten. This also means that the parasite is unlikely to be in the kabane's blood, which makes sense, as steamsmiths don't seem too worried about cleaning blood off the trains.

When a victim is bitten, the eggs/spores are released into the bloodstream, causing the infection. This then explains the slow infections, as the smaller the wound, the fewer eggs and the slower the infection. The parasite then targets the brain in order to control the new host, as well as protecting the heart. This makes sense, as the parasite would more than likely be secreting chemicals into the hosts bloodstream in order to keep it running, and give it the superhuman strength, and in order to do that, it needs the heat to work.

This also explains why they are so hard to kill (we haven't tried to work out the heart cage yet). If the parasite keeps the body running off of its own chemicals, the host doesn't need to eat, so its organs can shut down, meaning that shouting it anywhere other that the head or heart will have no effect, as the kabane doesn't need anything else to function.

The parasite theory also helps explain why Ikoma succeed in turning himself into a kabaneri. If it was a virus, as soon as he stopped cutting off the blood supply to his head, it would have continued to infect him. But with a parasite travelling through his blood, if it can't find his brain, then it might assume that it is in the wrong place, and either shut down and hibernate, or die.

Ikoma still would have gone through some physical changes, as the parasite likely releases chemicals as soon as it hatches in the bloodstream, which would permanently alter his body, sending him through the initial changes that a kabane goes through. But without the right place to live, the parasite shuts down and stops releasing chemicals, meaning that not only does he keep his mind, changes such as skin colour would likely be reversed, as he no longer has the foreign chemicals in him.

That's all we have for now, but I will keep posting our theories as we watch it, so keep an eye out if you're interested.

Part 2 is now up, pls go read it (:

[astaraelthesnek]

Time zones

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Iceland and Greenland get their own little paragraph. They are both wrong. Iceland claims its in 0 when it is all in -1. Just… anyway. Greenland’s alright, I hear you say. They go from -1 to -5, so they just chose to all be -3, that’s fine, right? Nope. They decided to make one little section 0 when it is obviously in -1 or -2, there’s a -1 section in -2, and there’s a place called Thule, very clearly in -5, which they have labelled as -4. It could have been so good if they had just stuck to all being -3, but no.

[astaraelthesnek]

Time zones

Part 1 Part 2 Part 4

Next: South America. I can accept Venezuela going for -4½ as they are split down the middle, and the countries west of that are acceptable too, but Suriname, you are not in -3. Leave. The rest of the more northern countries pass too, with Brazil being lucky that they are so big that its acceptable to ignore the time zones a bit, also, as the section in -2 is mainly rainforest, we can let it go. Then there’s Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. None of you are in -3. Stop it. Uruguay is completely in -4, Argentina is half -4, half -5, and Chile is solely in -5. Also, the Easter Islands are not in -5 Chile, they are in -7. You’re wrong. Stop making everything 2 more than they should be.

[astaraelthesnek]

Time zones

Part 1 Part 3 Part 4

Firstly: North America. Why? Canada isn’t too bad, the lines are just a bit off, apart from stupid Island of Newfoundland that decided to be -3½ hours when it is clearly all in -4. But generally, not too bad. Again, most of America isn’t that bad, with the lines going a bit wonky, until you look at Alaska. Alaska is almost all in -10 or -11, but no, they just had to be in -9. Hawaii is also wrong, but they get the benefit of the doubt for spanning three time zones and just picking one, apart from the fact that some of the islands are in -12, so they could have picked -11 to use the centre one. The Aleutian Islands are worse, which span +12 to -11, but are in the time zone of -10. America, stop trying to be special, just follow the lines. Then we move down to Mexico (I know it's more in Central America, but geographically it makes more sense to include it here), which again, for the most part is OK. The lines are a bit off, but its fine, except for that tiny little eastern bit that claims to be -5 when it is clearly -6. The rest of Central America is great, with an honourable mention to Panama and Costa Rica for the perfect split down the time zone, and a questioning look at the Dominican Republic who are claiming to be in -4 instead of -5.

[astaraelthesnek]

Time zones

Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

^This is the map I will be referencing throughout this.

Right, so, I’m going to be generous in this, and give many countries the benefit of the doubt, but the stupid time zone map needs to be addressed. And I know I’m just another British person trying to cut the world into sections with straight lines, but some of these countries annoy me. So I will try and do this by continent, but some are going to be worse than others. P.S. everything I say here is not meant to be either harmful or political in any way, it is simply about the time zones. I will also not talk about every country as that would take too long, so I am just focussing on the very good or very bad countries.

I will try and update this as regularly as possible, so be prepared for a lot of rants, because I feel strongly about this.

[astaraelthesnek]

Seriously though, why is it so chill to sit on your window sill at 3 in the morning and just vibe?

[astaraelthesnek]

When I was younger my mother always told me not to draw on myself because the ink would soak into my skin. I have now given myself 4 tattoos with a sewing needle.

Sorry mother.

[astaraelthesnek]

My household ghost just said hello. I was sitting in bed and then it just starts vibrating underneath me. Like im not moving, my bed is just dancing.

If you're reading this, hi ghost!!

[astaraelthesnek]

So I have to do some coursework over the summer for art, and basically all my teacher put in the instructions was:

Draw.

a) like you mean it

b) like you really mean it

Why is he like this?

[astaraelthesnek]

So I was looking out of window in the middle of the night and thinking 'I am the only person awake' only for someone in the house opposite me did the same thing and we ended up awkwardly staring at each other.

Hi person across the street.

[astaraelthesnek]

Ever try to click your knuckles but end up clicking your opposite shoulder?

Didn't think so

[astaraelthesnek]

Apparently sitting down in public looking like I tied myself up like a pretzel is 'weird' and I have 'freaky noodle joints' and I should stop being a 'goddamn little demon gremlin; that cant be healthy'.

Hypermobility do be funky.

[astaraelthesnek]

Do you ever just ignore your body?

Like today my knees really hurt cause my joints are shot to hell so Ivdecided to go for a run. 5 kilometers. I'm starting to think I might be a masochist, who knows.

On another note, my knees really hurt right now.

[astaraelthesnek]

Update: it even kept all of my 477 tabs that I had open.

I think I'm in love.

I'll be back soon after my wedding 😍

I'm pretty sure my laptop is an introvert, 'cause about a month ago it completely broke and the screen froze, so I just left it alone to drain the battery, and I just charged it and it's completely fixed itself.

It is the ultimate turn it off and on again.

[astaraelthesnek]

I'm pretty sure my laptop is an introvert, 'cause about a month ago it completely broke and the screen froze, so I just left it alone to drain the battery, and I just charged it and it's completely fixed itself.

It is the ultimate turn it off and on again.